lady, please calm down

On August 16, after staying in Anfeng for a day, the students of Liuhuai School continued to head north, preparing to cross the Huai River and enter Caizhou.

Unlike the local officials met before, after hearing about the deeds of the crowd, the Prime Minister Chen Jing'an of Anfeng specially arranged a subordinate to lead 300 students to conduct some research at the grassroots level in the northern part of Anfeng.

This was the first time for the students staying in Huaibei to come into contact with the grassroots governance model that was replicated here in Huaibei, such as the selection and appointment process for village officials, various assessment standards, and promotion paths.

After understanding the Huaibei model, students began to split.

Some people are very resistant to such an official selection mechanism. After all, after more than ten years of studying, they suddenly find that Huaibei officials do not rely entirely on imperial examinations to get ahead. This has a great impact on some lazy and ignorant scholars.

Even Gu Yuntang was confused. Although he failed the provincial examinations twice, he always had the determination to take the exam again.

However, in this Huaibei model, the Four Books and Five Classics only account for 10% to 20%, and the rest are all about farming, breeding, workshop management, employment indicators, etc., which he does not understand at all.

This is a denial of his efforts over the past decade!

However, another group, led by his student Guan Huimin, highly praised the Huaibei model.

Fortunately, the two sides had a teacher-student and classmate relationship, so they didn't get too embarrassed because of the difference in opinions.

But from that day on, every evening, the two sides would gather at their residence to debate with each other and discuss what the most important qualities for an official are.

During this daily debate, on August 21, the students finally crossed the Huai River to the north and set foot in Caizhou.

As soon as they entered Caizhou, they ran into the powerful "Sanqiu".

The so-called three autumns are autumn harvest, autumn plowing and autumn planting.

Although Caizhou has developed industry nearby, autumn harvest is still the top priority of the year's work.

Starting from the prefect Xu Bang, almost all the officials in the prefecture went out to the counties under their jurisdiction to collect grain taxes, supervise grain merchants, coordinate resources, and carry out autumn ploughing and other tasks.

Taxation has always been a major national issue and the foundation for the court to maintain its operations. At the same time, it is also the cause of frequent tragedies in the world.

After all, if the court collects more, the people will have less food; if the people pay less, the court's finances will be tighter.

If more officials continue to take advantage of the situation in the name of "loss", the relationship between the people and the government will become more tense.

Gu Yuntang, Guan Huimin and Zhong Yan were all very excited. They wanted to see with their own eyes the entire process of tax collection in Huaibei.

On the 22nd, when they were passing the Baowu Town in Zhenyang County, they saw more than a dozen tents of various colors set up beside the official road next to the rice fields. Outside, people were driving ox-and-horse carts to pay taxes, and the queue was several miles long.

There were a large number of students in Liuhuai School, so local officials naturally knew about this group of people.

The magistrate was busy with the autumn harvest and had no time to entertain the guests, so he appointed Cui Zaidao, a ninth-year student at Lanxiang School in Fuchang, to serve as their guide.

Seeing that everyone was very interested in taxation, Cui Zaidao pointed to the largest tent and explained, "In order to facilitate the people to pay taxes, the government office will set up a grain collection office in each county in summer and autumn every year."

Originally this was a very common thing, but Xue Zhongyi was surprised and asked, "The government office is collecting the tax directly? How many officials would the government office have to support?"

The current taxation at the grassroots level in the Great Zhou Dynasty is still of the nature of subcontracting at various levels. After the prefect issues this year's tax payment task to the county magistrate under his jurisdiction, the county magistrate will collect taxes from the farmers in the village through the elders and gentry of each village.

In some remote areas, tax collection is even directly contracted to a large household, similar to the tax-farming system.

Doing so will certainly save the government's administrative expenses, but each level of subcontracting means a level of exploitation. After all, no one will work for free without getting any benefits.

Cui Zaidao laughed and pointed at several women wearing blue school uniforms and black school uniforms, holding pens in one hand and abacus in the other, and said, "We don't need many officials. In the early years, in order to prevent officials from breaking the law, the prince invited students from Lanxiang Academy to be volunteers. They personally went to the front line of each grain collection point to sort out the accounts and supervise the grain collection."

Guan Huimin, who was very concerned about all the affairs in Huaibei, thought about it for a moment and couldn't help but praise: "This arrangement is very good!"

The nobleman Zhong Yan was puzzled and asked, "Brother Guan, what's so interesting about this?"

Guan Huimin glanced at Cui Zaidao, who was smiling but not saying anything, and explained with his own understanding: "Students are young, and they don't have the slickness of experienced officials. They can't tolerate any sand in their eyes. With them supervising them, even if the officials have the intention to take advantage of others, they dare not do it recklessly."

To put it bluntly, it is because young people are passionate and principled, and they do not worry about being in cahoots with corrupt officials.

Cui Zaidao nodded, agreeing with Guan Huimin's statement, and added: "After graduation, 30% of the students from Lanxiang School and its male and female students join the army and government. No matter what they do, they can interact with slick old officials and farmers in advance, learn a lot of things that they can't learn in class, which will be of great help in the future."

Guan Huimin, Gu Yuntang and others were not deeply touched by this, but Zhong Yan, who was born into an official family, nodded in agreement, "That's true! I often heard my father say at home that many good policies of the court often become bad policies that harm the people when they are implemented. The main reason is that during the implementation process, the officials who are the executors harm the public and enrich themselves, and deceive the superiors and the subordinates. If you can't learn to deal with the officials, you can't be a good official."

The crowd walked forward more than ten steps, and saw that outside the dozen tents on the side of the government collection point, there were flags of various colors, with words such as "Luliuwei Farmland Reclamation", "Zhongyuan Farmland Reclamation", "Guan's Oil Mill" and so on.

There were even servants outside their tents shouting to passing farmers: "Guan's Oil Mill is buying large quantities of peanuts and soybeans."

As soon as he opened his mouth, the waiter at another oil mill nearby shouted, "Zhouji Oil Mill also buys peanuts and soybeans. The price is more favorable than his. Come quickly, fellow villagers."

"Tuesday, are you looking for trouble?"

"Hey, Guan San, the government office has already issued an official document stating that cash crops like peanuts and soybeans are priced by the market. If you don't agree, you can raise the price! We at Zhouji Oil Mill are following the prince's teachings to help farmers earn a few more cents!"

"Good! Good job, little brother from the Zhou family!"

Immediately, a group of farmers carrying peanuts and soybeans started to plant seedlings.

The farmers are not stupid either, and they are happy to watch them compete.

Seeing the patrolling veterans who were maintaining order coming over, the managers of the Zhou and Guan families pulled their servants back into the tents.

This scene also made everyone in Liuhuai Academy watch with great interest, but Guan Huimin asked perceptively: "Brother Cui, are these purchase points next to it private merchants?"

"Yes. Huaibei has had good harvests in recent years. Farmers paid 25% of the grain tax, and the rest of the family could not finish eating, so they took out some to sell for some living expenses."

While they were still pondering the significance of doing so, Cui Zaidao continued, "In the early years, the prince once said in an open economics class at the academy that after Caizhou's industry developed to a certain level, it would not be possible to rely solely on the consumption of the urban middle class, which only accounted for 10% of the population. If new markets could not be developed, it would be possible to squeeze out industrial products and then lead to deflation."

Several people were stunned. Cui Zaidao was about seventeen or eighteen years old, but when he said something like "deflation", they couldn't understand anything.

But Cui Zaidao continued: "So, we need to develop the rural market, which accounts for the vast majority of the population. The first step is to allow farmers to have a way to obtain money in addition to food, so as to form a healthy flow."

At this point, Cui Zaidao paused and said with emotion: "The prince said that he has a dream, which is to one day cancel the grain tax that farmers have been burdened with for thousands of years."

"!"

"."

Several people turned their heads to look at Cui Zaidao. Even Gu Yuntang, who didn't understand much, couldn't hide his surprise and said, "How is this possible? Without grain taxes, how will the officials' salaries be paid? Where will the soldiers' food and wages come from?"

In fact, there has been a research group in Lanxiang Academy that has been conducting special research on this issue, and has achieved some small results.

But this matter is a long story, and it involves a lot. Cui Zaidao didn't want to discuss it here, so he used Chen Chu's words and replied: "The prince said that he might not be able to complete this task in this lifetime, and he hopes that the younger generation can fulfill his wish."

Everyone in Liuhuai Academy fell silent. If the agricultural tax could be abolished, the King of Jin's achievements would be comparable to those of the sages of all ages.

However, no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't think of any possibility.

As if to provide a footnote to Cui Zaidao's previous words, a father and son suddenly appeared in the distance. The father was driving an ox cart loaded with watermelons, while the son was pushing a bicycle made entirely of wood, with a wooden box tied to the back seat with the words "Popsicle" written on it.

"Watermelon, big thin-skinned watermelon from Tongshan, sweet and juicy, the last crop, if you miss it today, you'll have to wait another year."

The shouting came before the person arrived.

This shout immediately caused a commotion.

The farmers who had just sold their crops came around to bargain, then paid for the melons and went to the shade of the trees to share and eat them in groups of three or five.

Nowadays, many watermelons are planted in the sandy land of Huaibei. Although the price is not expensive, they cannot be eaten every day.

I just sold some grain today. After a year of hard work, I deserve to take this opportunity to reward myself.

There was also a farmer who brought a child of seven or eight years old. When the child saw popsicles for sale, he pestered his father and cried for some.

The farmer had no choice but to buy the cheapest popsicle and gave it to his son, yelling, "You're going to die of greed. I have to buy two kilograms of grain for one popsicle. What a waste of money!"

Cursing, the farmer still squeezed to the melon cart, patted it and picked a good melon, intending to take it home for his wife and mother to taste.

But when Guan Huimin and others saw this scene, they couldn't help but be surprised again.

In Lin'an, although the price of watermelon has dropped a lot compared to earlier years, it is still a special food for the middle class and wealthy families to cool off in the summer. But in Huaibei, even farmers can afford to eat watermelon?
Cui Zaidao, who was standing by, had been keeping an eye on the boy selling popsicles. This guy was about twelve or thirteen years old. Compared to the man selling melons, he was obviously much more shy. He was too embarrassed to shout or to sell.

In addition, the price of popsicles was relatively high, and only one was sold in half an hour.

"Little brother, come here." Cui Zaidao waved to the young man, who thought that he had come to do business and hurriedly pushed his bicycle over.

"Sir, how many do you want?"

"What's your name and how old are you?"

Cui Zaidao looked at the bicycle and asked with a smile.

"My name is He Duer, and I'm thirteen."

The young man answered honestly, but Cui Zaidao pointed at the bicycle and asked, "Did you make this yourself?"

The bicycle was produced by a workshop under the Caizhou Iron and Steel Works. It was the most popular toy among Huaibei teenagers. However, its high price of one hundred taels of silver made it prohibitive for ordinary people, and it almost became an exclusive means of transportation for children from wealthy families.

However, the steel body of He Duer's bicycle was replaced by lightweight wood, and only the gears in key areas were cast in iron.

Hearing Cui Zaidao's question, He Duer seemed to have an itch tickled, and couldn't help but give a detailed introduction, such as how the car body was made, and how he worked for the village old blacksmith for a month, begged for a few pounds of scrap iron, and knocked out the gear shape bit by bit.

Cui Zaidao was surprised when he heard this. This young man was not very old, but in order to build this bicycle, he learned carpentry, blacksmithing and other skills.

This hands-on ability is indeed very strong.

Cui Zaidao couldn't help but cherish his talent and suggested: "Brother He, you have such a strong desire to study, why don't you apply for the engineering class of Lanxiang Academy? There are several great craftsmen in the engineering class. If you succeed and join the Machinery Expansion Bureau, your monthly salary will start from three or four taels."

He Duer heard this and said embarrassedly: "Last year, my father took me to try once. I started school late and didn't study well, so I didn't get into Lanxiang Academy."

Cui Zaidao thought for a moment and said, "No problem. After the autumn harvest, you can come to Caizhou to find me. I will give you some tutoring. You can try again next spring when we recruit students!"

He Duer immediately showed a look of surprise, but then his expression dimmed. He turned back to look at his father who was busy and said in a low voice: "I am too old, I am afraid it is not possible. My father said that the students in the school are all Wenquxing incarnate. My ancestors for eight generations have been peasants. I have tried once before that I could not have such a fate. My father told me to make money, get married and have children."

"A gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement! You must think carefully. If you miss it, you will miss it in this life."

Cui Zaidao was even more anxious than He Duer. He Duer, who was already interested, was naturally a little tempted and couldn't help asking, "Big brother, are you also a student of Lanxiang Academy?"

"Yes! I am humble, but I am honored to be the chairman of the Student Union of the Boys' School, the chairman of the Caizhou Student Union, and the secretary general of the Huaibei Student Union."

In order to give He Duer confidence, Cui Zaidao listed a long list of titles.

There are many children of nobles and martyrs in Lanxiang Academy. It is a great honor to be the chairman of the autonomous association here.

Furthermore, the Caizhou Student Union has become famous since Chen Yinglang led students to support the Xiangcheng scholars. All the previous chairmen have been highly valued after graduation, and some even entered the palace directly to serve as clerks for the King of Chu.

However, He Duer was too far away from these influential figures and was not quite clear about the meaning of these titles.

On the contrary, Guan Huimin, who was also studying in the Huai Preparatory School, could not help but look at Cui Zaidao in surprise, surprised that the other party had such a powerful background.

Finally, He Du'er was persuaded by Cui Zaidao and planned to go to Caizhou after autumn. As for how to convince his parents to agree, that was the first step in changing his destiny.

Before leaving, Cui Zaidao took special care of He Duer's business and bought more than ten milk ice creams.

In addition to distributing the grain to Guan Huimin and others who were traveling with him, Cui Zaidao called out to the grain collection point, "Jiang, call the girls to take a break. Come out and I'll treat you to ice cream."

The junior student Jiang seemed to be very familiar with the female students in the tent and said directly: "Xiangyi and Jia'an called everyone out to eat ice cream. Senior Cui is treating us."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of girls immediately put down their papers, pens and abacus and came out chattering.

"Thank you, Senior Cui."

"I'm asking the senior to spend money, hahaha."

For a moment, the area outside the grain collection point was filled with women's joyful voices and silver bell-like laughter.

Guan Huimin, Zhong Yan and others had seen women before, but they had never seen such a group of lively and generous women without any frivolous intentions.

What they have seen are either the seductive girls in the pavilion or the ladies from noble families who blush when they see people.

To the point that everyone was somewhat at a loss.

Cui Zaidao hurriedly introduced the two parties: "My fellow students, this is Brother Guan, the chairman of the Liuhuai School Autonomous Association, and this is Brother Zhong."

After introducing several people, he added: "Several brothers are students of Liuhuai Academy. The prince is the honorary principal of the academy. In fact, our two schools are from the same lineage and are family members."

With this said, the distance between the two sides was immediately shortened, and Si Lan, Hu Tou and others called out "Hello, senior" in a mess.

Afterwards, Cui Zaidao introduced Guan Huimin and others, "This is Jiang Pei, the younger son of Jiang Dushuai, the general stationed in Huainan."

Upon hearing this, several people looked in surprise at Jiang Huaixiong, the general of Jiang Pei's army stationed in Huainan. This man's reputation was known to everyone in Lin'an, and he put tremendous pressure on the Lin'an Dynasty.

Then, Cui Zaidao introduced the rest of his junior classmates to the others. Almost all of them came from prominent families. There were some others, whose backgrounds Cui Zaidao did not specify, but one could guess that they must have even more extraordinary ones, which was why he was so cautious.

After gaining a preliminary understanding, Lanxiang students who were also interested in Liuhuai Academy asked a lot of questions about the scenery of the Jiangnan region.

However, those people who were usually eloquent became shy in front of the confident school students.

A quarter of an hour later, after a short break, the Lanxiang students returned to the grain collection point to continue their work.

Everyone in Liuhuai Academy breathed a sigh of relief.

Such a woman makes them feel very strange. She completely puts herself in the role of equal communication and has her own opinions. People can't help but admire her, but dare not get too close.

It's probably the feeling of 'you can only look at it from a distance and don't touch it'.

Several people thought about the conversation at the same time, and finally Gu Yuntang spoke first: "Mr. Cui, there are so many people here, and they are all children of nobles. Aren't you afraid of encountering bad people?"

Cui Zaidao couldn't help but laugh, pointing at the densely packed people and said, "There are tens of thousands of elders here, who dares to harm them?"

"."

Everyone was stunned. They were accustomed to treating the common people as destabilizing factors, but in Cui Zaidao's context, these people were all the elders and even the guardians of the so-called nobles' children.

The difference in thinking contained therein is not difficult to understand. However, if the scholars of the Great Zhou Dynasty also had this understanding, there would be too much for the officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty to do.
As the son of an official, Zhong Yan could naturally understand the reason for the difference between the two places, and he couldn't help feeling a little ashamed.

But then, he asked Cui Zaidao, "Brother Cui, you have many positions and are respected by many meritorious children. I wonder who your father is."

This remark was slightly sabotaging, implying that Cui Zaidao was only able to associate with this group of noble children because he was the son of an official.

But several people did think so, but after thinking about it, they couldn't remember any important official in the Huaibei faction with the surname Cui.

Cui Zaidao said calmly, "My father died in the flood in Fuchang in the ninth year."

"."

No one expected this answer. Zhong Yan quickly said "sorry" and decided to drop the topic.

But Cui Zaidao looked at the vast blue sky and said slowly: "That year, my father died. My mother and I fled all the way to Caizhou. We lived in a shack next to the Princess Temple in the east of the city for four months. Fortunately, I was blessed by the prince and had food and clothes. Later, Lanxiang Academy recruited students, and I was admitted as one of the top ten students of the year. However, I was not an orphan of a martyr, so I could not enjoy the tuition exemption treatment. At that time, my mother had planned to send me to a merchant as an apprentice."

Most of the poor children had experienced such difficulties. Guan Huimin, who felt the same way, knew that Cui Zaidao would definitely be admitted to the school, but he still couldn't help asking, "What will you do?"

Cui Zaidao smiled calmly, "At that time, I didn't know that the princess had set up a scholarship in the school to pay for all the study and living expenses for poor children like me. Later, the princess sent someone to find my family, sent me a gift of tuition, food and clothing, and arranged a job for my mother in the spinning mill. That's how I got everything I have now. Eight years have passed in the blink of an eye, but I still remember the words in the princess's handwritten letter to me clearly."

"What?"

"It's what I just said to He Duer: A gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement!"

Everyone fell silent again. Only then did they realize that Cui Zaidao's earnest instructions to He Du'er actually had a kind of inheritance meaning.

It is the inheritance of the princess’ kindness and also the inheritance of a certain spirit of Huaibei.

The beauty of Huaibei lies not only in its prosperous people and abundant resources, but also in the high-spirited spirit that fills the world!
After a while, Cui Zaidao suddenly smiled at Zhong Yan and said, "Brother Zhong, if you think I have someone to rely on to get to where I am today, that's not bad. Behind me are the prince, the princess, and the millions of elders in Caizhou."

Zhong Yan blushed, but he also bowed and sincerely admitted his mistake: "I have judged others by my own standards. I apologize to Brother Cui."

Guan Huimin, who was standing next to him, was even more impressed. He could not help but say, "In the past ten years, Huaibei has become a paradise. The reason lies in the words of the sage quoted by the princess! A gentleman should strive for self-improvement. The King of Jin is like this, the princess is like this, and Brother Cui is like this. Huaibei is really a good place!"

"Let's encourage each other!"

"Let's encourage each other!" (End of this chapter)